Here are my impressions of some of my current A Team Lineup, midgame. Add your own versions or comments!

Helmut "Grunty" GruntherLegacy: Grunty starts every Jagged Alliance game as a good solid journeyman in his skills. He's no slouch, but he's not great. However, the key thing for this breakout character is he learned fast. In almost all games, his advancement seemed quick. To wit, he's a fast learner. This doesn't really seem to be the case with the new levelling/XP system.Direction: With Grunty, you have the choice to dump everything into his Marks and Dex to make him into a decent gunman... or you can try to work up some of his low-to-mediocre craft skills... which would make him somewhat effective in each at best.

Barry UngerLegacy: Barry has always been a low level boom guy. While his explosives skill always is extremely high for a low level character, the rest of his skills are nothing to write home about.Direction: Barry is the natural choice for a darn good explosions guy for a cheap price. To build him up, you can take his explosives to the Nth degree and get it at 100. Then you'll have about 30-40 more points to throw around. That's not enough to make him into a good gunner, but you could put them into Stealth so he can crawl about and plant some devious mines.

Bobby "Steroid" GontarskiLegacy: Steroid is an obvious parody of the Arnold Schwartzenegger hero types. In JA2, he's pretty much the replacement of Vinny... a solid Mechanical character at a bargain basement price.Direction: He looks like Arnie, but don't let that fool you into thinking he's a one man army. He's tepid at best in virtually all aspects of combat. However, his mechanical skill is extremely handy at keeping your mercs up and running, and especially for repairing guns for sale (and free XP). However, another key problem is that Steroid is, frankly, unpopular. Many characters dislike him and vice versa. If you work on his marksmanship, he can become a fair gunner, or give him a shotgun and he becomes a pretty decent doorbuster. But Vicky or Nails are a better prospect for your fix-it guru.

John "Bull" PetersLegacy: Bull was, and is, the classic "run up and cut their throats" psycho. An alumnus from the first JA game, he's the typical jarhead vanguard guy.Direction: He works well as a door buster and a room cleaner. But his Unfit trait makes him difficult to use, ESPECIALLY after dropping you into a battle when you've been on the move. Then he basically gets winded after taking 3 steps. Bull's marksmanship is abysmal, the man was made for indoor cleanup. As a sniper or even a gunner, he's bound to disappoint.

Grunty, Barry, and Igor were always "fast learners" in JA2 and often turned into all stars b the end game for me. Sadly it doesn't work that way anymore.

Peter "Wolf" Sanders
Legacy: Wolf was a moderately competent combatant and a Jack of All Trades. His versatility made him an easy early to mid game choice as he was never idle.
Direction: His versatility survives into BIA but he is also an engine of death with the NF or CAWS shotguns. Throw a few points into his med and he can use first aid kits to heal wounds then the rest into mark and dex. He makes a great frontline field medic.